The present invention relates to a semiconductor apparatus incorporated in a power converting apparatus, such as an inverter, for variably controlling the speed of a motor. More specifically, the present invention relates to a so-called intelligent power module (hereinafter referred to as an xe2x80x9cIPMxe2x80x9d) that incorporates semiconductor switching devices for power conversion, driver circuits for driving the respective semiconductor switching devices and various protection circuits in a package.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a main portion of a conventional inverter for variably controlling the speed of a motor including an intelligent power module (IPM). In the figure, there are shown an IPM 01, a main DC power supply 02 formed of a rectifier circuit (not shown) in a main control board 05 of the inverter, a motor 03, the speed thereof being variably controlled by the inverter, and a resistor 04 in the main control board 05 of the inverter for consuming regenerated electric power. The resistor 04 will be described later in detail.
The main control board 05 of the inverter includes the above described rectifier circuit that constitutes the main DC power supply 02, and the control circuits which generate various control signals for controlling the IPM 01.
The IPM01 includes semiconductor switching devices which also work as sensing IGBTs 1 (1U through 1Z and 1DB), each having a sensing terminal SE for dividing the emitter current thereof and for detecting anomaly in the emitter current caused by a short circuit in the load and so on. In the following, the IGBTs 1U through 1Z will be sometimes referred to as the xe2x80x9cinverter switchesxe2x80x9d and the IGBT 1DB as a xe2x80x9cbraking switchxe2x80x9d.
The IPM01 includes free wheel diodes 2 (2U through 2Z and 2DB). Each of the free wheel diodes 2U through 2Z is connected in opposite parallel between the collector and the emitter of each of the IGBTs (inverter switches) 1U through 1Z. The free wheel diode 2DB is connected in parallel to the resistor 04 in such a polarity that the cathode of the diode 2DB is connected to the positive electrode P of the main DC power supply 02.
The IPM01 includes pre-drivers 3 (3U through 3Z and 3DB) disposed in one to one correspondence to the IGBTs 1 (1U through 1Z and 1DB). In FIG. 6, one pre-driver is used to drive one IGBT. Alternatively, one pre-driver may be used to drive all the inverter switches 1U through 1Z, two pre-drivers may be used to drive the inverter switches on the upper arm and the inverter switches on the lower arm respectively, or one pre-driver may be used to drive all the inverter switches 1U through 1Z and the braking switch 1DB.
The IGBTs 1U and 1X are connected in series to each other and in forward between the positive electrode P and the negative electrode N of the main DC power supply 02 such that the IGBT 1U is on the upper arm and the IGBT 1X is on the lower arm of the inverter bridge. The IGBTs 1V and 1Y are connected in series to each other and in forward between the positive electrode P and the negative electrode N of the main DC power supply 02 such that the IGBT 1V is on the upper arm and the IGBT 1Y is on the lower arm. And, the IGBTs 1W and 1Z are connected in series to each other and in forward between the positive electrode P and the negative electrode N of the main DC power supply 02 such that the IGBT 1W is on the upper arm and the IGBT 1Z is on the lower arm.
Six inverter switches, i.e. IGBTs 1U through 1Z, constitute a three-phase inverter bridge circuit. The mutual connection point of the IGBTs 1U and 1X is connected to an output terminal U for the U phase of a three-phase alternating current. The mutual connection point of the IGBTs 1V and 1Y is connected to an output terminal V for the V phase of the three-phase alternating current. And, the mutual connection point of the IGBTs 1W and 1Z is connected to an output terminal W for the W phase of the three-phase alternating current. The output terminals U, V and W are connected to the motor (three-phase induction motor in FIG. 6) 03.
The braking switch, i.e. IGBT 1DB, is connected in series to the resistor 04 for consuming the regenerated electric power and in forward relative to the P and N electrodes of the main DC power supply 02.
Each of the pre-drivers 3U through 3Z and 3DB includes a circuit for driving the gate of the corresponding IGBT and a protection circuit. A driving power supply (DC 15 V in FIG. 6) is fed to the pre-drivers 3U through 3Z and 3DB. Basically, each of the pre-drivers 3U through 3Z and 3DB works as a driver circuit which feeds a gate signal, indicative of ON or OFF of the corresponding IGBT, between the gate and the emitter thereof, when an ON-signal or an OFF signal (hereinafter referred to as a xe2x80x9cdriver inputxe2x80x9d) is inputted from the main control board 05 of the inverter to the correspond one of the terminals VinU through VinZ and VinDB, to switch on or off the corresponding IGBT.
Usually, a three-phase AC voltage, wherein the voltage and the frequency thereof are variable, is generated through the IGBTs 1U through 1Z which convert the electric power from the main DC power supply 02 to control the speed of the motor 03 variably.
When the output frequency of the inverter is decreased to decelerate or stop the motor 03 while the motor 03 is driven, the energy of the motor 03 is regenerated to the main DC power supply 02, and the voltage between the electrodes P and N of the DC power supply 02 rises. As the voltage rises too much, an over voltage exceeding the breakdown voltages of the IGBTs and the smoothing capacitor in the DC power supply 02 may be applied thereto.
To avoid this, the main control board 05 of the inverter monitors the voltage between the electrodes P and N of the DC power supply 02. When the voltage between the electrodes P and N of the DC power supply 02 exceeds a predetermined value, the control circuit feeds ON and OFF signals to the input terminal VinDB of the pre-driver 3DB for the braking switch, i.e. IGBT 1DB, to intermittently switch the IGBT 1DB. As the IGBT 1DB is switched intermittently, the electric power regenerated from the motor 03 to the DC power supply 02 is bypassed to the resistor 04 to consume therein the regenerated electric power. Thus, the voltage between the electrodes of the main DC power supply 02 is prevented from increasing too much.
The pre-drivers 3 described above exhibit the function of driving of the IGBTs, and other various protection functions, such as (A) protection against short circuit, (B) protection against a low voltage, (C) protection against an overcurrent, and (D) protection against overheat of the IGBTs.
In the protection against short circuit (A), the pre-drivers 3 monitor the output currents from the sensing terminals SE of the IGBTs at a high speed. When any one of the monitored output currents exceeds a predetermined level, for example, at a value from 4 to 5 times greater than the rated current, the pertinent pre-driver 3 turns off the corresponding IGBT in a very short time by the so-called soft interruption that lowers the gate voltage at first and, then, turns off the IGBT, so that the pertinent IGBT may be protected.
The protection against the low voltage (B) is conducted to keep the gate voltages of the IGBTs at an optimum value. In the protection against the low voltage (B), the pre-drivers 3 monitor the driving voltages, to which the pre-drivers 3 feed. When any one of the monitored driving voltages is lower than a predetermined value, the pertinent pre-driver 3 turns off the corresponding IGBT so that the IGBT may be protected.
In the overcurrent protection (C), the pre-drivers 3 monitors the output currents from the sensing terminals SE of the IGBTs. When any one of the monitored output currents exceeds a predetermined level, for example, 1.5 to 2 times greater than the rated current, the pertinent pre-driver 3 turns off the corresponding IGBT. The detection speed and the detection level for the overcurrent protection (C) are different from those for the short circuit protection (A).
In the overheat protection (D), the pre-drivers 3 monitor the temperatures of the chips, in which the respective IGBTs are buried, by detecting the forward currents of the diodes buried in the chips. When any one of the monitored temperatures exceeds a predetermined temperature, the pertinent pre-driver 3 turns off the corresponding IGBT.
There is shown an overheat protection circuit 4 in the bottom of FIG. 6. Usually, the signal on an alarm enable line 5 is set at a high level Hi. When any one of the temperatures of metallic or ceramic insulation substrates, which insulate the chips of the IGBTs 1U through 1Z and 1DB from the respective metallic radiator substrates, exceeds a predetermined temperature, the overheat protection circuit 4 sets the signal on the alarm enable line 5, usually at a high level Hi, to a low level Lo to output an alarm signal ALM at the low level Lo.
When any one of the pre-drivers 3X through 3Z, which drive the IGBTs 1X through 1Z constituting the lower arm of the inverter bridge circuit, executes any one of the protection operations (A) through (C), the pertinent pre-driver 3X, 3Y or 3Z sets the signal on the alarm enable line 5 at the low level Lo to output an alarm signal ALM at the low level Lo, similarly as the overheat protection circuit 4 does.
When the alarm signal ALM is outputted, i.e. when alarm enable line 5 is active, the pre-drivers which have not outputted the alarm signal ALM detect the alarm signal ALM at the low level Lo and turn off the respective IGBTs.
When the main control board 05 of the inverter detects the alarm signal ALM at the low level Lo, the main control board 05 of the inverter outputs an OFF-signal to the pre-drivers 3U through 3W which drive the IGBTs 1U through 1W on the upper arm of the inverter bridge circuit to turn off the IGBTs 1U through 1W. Thus, when any one of the pre-drivers 3U through 3Z and 3DB and the overheat protection circuit 4 executes any one of the protection operations, all the IGBTs 1U through 1Z and 1DB are turned off.
As described above, the conventional IPM exhibits the protection functions mainly to protect the semiconductor devices that the IPM incorporates against anomalies and to avoid breakdown of the semiconductor devices. As soon as the IPM detects an anomaly, all the IGBTs are turned off to stop the operation of the inverter.
Therefore, if an anomaly occurs in the inverter, breakdown of the semiconductor devices is avoided. However, when an inverter operated in a manufacturing line in an unnoticeable overloaded state suddenly stops, the operation of an entire factory system slows down or stops.
Especially in a large manufacturing line, tremendous loses are caused. Therefore, it is desired to avoid slowdown or stop of the operation of the factory system by detecting a sign indicating possible anomalous stop of the inverter, by outputting a preliminary alarm signal and by guiding the operator of the inverter to remove the cause which may cause anomalous stop of the inverter in advance to real anomalous stop of the inverter.
As described above, as soon as any one of the pre-drivers 3X through 3Z for the inverter switches detects an anomaly, the signal on the alarm enable line 5 is set at the low level Lo, thereby the operation of the braking switch, i.e. IGBT 1DB, is also stopped.
When the operation of the inverter circuit is stopped suddenly by an anomaly caused in the inverter switches, the energy of the rotating motor 03, i.e. load, is regenerated back to the main DC power supply 02, and the voltage across the main DC power supply 02 is raised.
As described above, when the main control board 05 of the inverter detects the rise of the voltage across the main DC power supply 02, usually, the control circuit makes the braking IGBT 1DB work to suppress the rise of the voltage across the main DC power supply 02. However, once the pre-driver 3DB, that detected the low signal level Lo on the alarm enable line 5, has turned off the braking IGBT 1DB, the braking IGBT 1DB never operates even when an ON-signal is fed to the input terminal VinBD of the pre-driver 3DB. Therefore, the voltage across the main DC power supply 02 is not prevented from rising, and in the worst case, breakdown of the constituent elements of the IPM occurs.
In view of the foregoing, it is an abject of the invention to provide a semiconductor apparatus including an IMP that facilitates outputting a preliminary alarm signal without stopping the inverter when a sign of an anomaly in the IPM is detected, guiding removal of the cause which may cause anomalous stop of the inverter, and preventing the operation of the factory system from sudden slowdown or sudden stop.
It is another object of the invention to provide a semiconductor apparatus including an IMP that facilitates intermittently switching the braking IGBT, and thereby, preventing the voltage across the main DC power supply from rising even when any one of the inverter switches is turned off due to an anomaly and the inverter is stopped.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a semiconductor apparatus including: one or more semiconductor switching devices for electric power conversion; one or more driver circuits disposed in the corresponding one or more semiconductor switching devices, the one or more driver circuits switching on and off the corresponding one or more semiconductor switching devices via the respective control terminals in response to an ON/OFF command inputted thereto from the outside; one or more anomaly protection means disposed in the corresponding one or more semiconductor switching devices, the one or more anomaly protection means monitoring the corresponding one or more semiconductor switching devices and ordering the corresponding one or more driver circuits to turn off the corresponding one or more semiconductor switching devices when the one or more anomaly protection means have detected an anomaly in the corresponding one or more semiconductor switching devices; and one or more anomaly predicting means disposed in the corresponding one or more semiconductor switching devices, the one or more anomaly predicting means outputting a preliminary alarm signal when the one or more anomaly predicting means have detected a sign of an anomaly corresponding to the one or more semiconductor switching devices.
Advantageously, the one or more anomaly protection means judge that the anomaly occurs in the corresponding one or more semiconductor switching devices when the current flowing between the main terminals of the corresponding one or more semiconductor switching devices has exceeded a first predetermined value higher than the normal value of the current, and the one or more anomaly predicting means output the preliminary alarm signal when the current flowing between the main terminals of the corresponding one or more semiconductor switching devices has exceeded a second predetermined value higher than the normal value of the current but lower than the first predetermined value.
Advantageously, the one or more anomaly protection means judge that the anomaly is caused in the corresponding one or more semiconductor switching devices when the chip temperature of the corresponding one or more semiconductor switching devices has exceeded a first predetermined temperature higher than the normal chip temperature, and the one or more anomaly predicting means output the preliminary alarm signal when the chip temperature of the corresponding one or more semiconductor switching devices has exceeded a second predetermined temperature higher than the normal chip temperature but lower than the first predetermined temperature.
Advantageously, the one or more anomaly protection means output the alarm signal when the one or more anomaly protection means judge that the anomaly occurs in the corresponding one or more semiconductor switching devices.
Advantageously, the preliminary alarm signal and the alarm signal are digital signals, wherein the pulse widths thereof are different from each other, and the digital signals are outputted from a common output terminal.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a semiconductor apparatus including: a main circuit for an inverter for driving a motor; one or more inverter semiconductor switches; a braking semiconductor switch for turning on and off a current, thereby to consume energy regenerated from the motor; driver circuits disposed in the corresponding one or more inverter semiconductor switches and the braking semiconductor switch, the driver circuits switching on and off the corresponding one or more inverter semiconductor switches and the braking semiconductor switch via the respective control terminals in response to an ON/OFF command inputted thereto from the outside; anomaly protection means disposed in the corresponding one or more inverter semiconductor switches and the braking semiconductor switch, the anomaly protection means monitoring the corresponding one or more inverter semiconductor switching devices and the braking semiconductor switching device, and ordering the corresponding driver circuits to turn off the corresponding one or more inverter semiconductor switches and the braking semiconductor switch when the anomaly protection means have detected an anomaly in the corresponding one or more inverter semiconductor switches and the braking semiconductor switch; alarm signal outputting means disposed in the corresponding one or more inverter semiconductor switches and the braking semiconductor switch, each of the alarm signal outputting means outputting an alarm signal through a common signal line when the anomaly occurs in the corresponding one or more inverter semiconductor switches and the braking semiconductor switch; and one or more alarm signal receiving means disposed in the corresponding one or more inverter semiconductor switches. The one or more alarm signal receiving means order the corresponding anomaly protection means to turn off the corresponding one or more inverter semiconductor switches in response to the alarm signal inputted from the alarm signal outputting means of the other inverter semiconductor switch through the common signal line.
Advantageously, the one or more alarm signal receiving means turn off the one or more inverter semiconductor switches.
The characteristics of the semiconductor apparatus according to the invention are as follows.
According to the first aspect of the invention, as soon as a sign of the anomaly in any one of the inverter switches is detected, the IPM outputs a preliminary alarm signal ALM2, without stopping the electric power conversion, in advance to turning off the inverter switches to remove the cause of the anomaly.
The sign of the anomaly in any one of the inverter switches is detected at an instance when the collector current or the chip temperature of any one of the inverter switches exceeds a predetermined value higher than the normal value but lower than the anomalous value.
When the common terminal is used for outputting the alarm signal indicating the anomaly from the IPM and for outputting the preliminary alarm signal indicating a sign of the anomaly from the IPM, the pulse widths of the alarm signal and the preliminary alarm signal are set to be different from each other.
The preliminary detection of a sign of the anomaly facilitates removing the causes which may cause a real anomaly and avoiding anomalous sudden stop of the inverter in advance.
According to the second aspect of the invention, when the anomaly occurs in any one of the inverter switches and the braking switch, the corresponding pre-driver turns off the pertinent switch and outputs an alarm signal via a common signal line. The other pre-drives of the inverter switches, which have received the alarm signal via the common signal line, turn off the corresponding inverter switches.
The pre-driver for the barking switch does not turn off the barking switch even when the alarm signal is outputted from one of the pre-drivers for the inverter switches.
Even when the inverter stops suddenly and the power supply voltage rises due to the regenerated energy from the motor, the power supply voltage is prevented from further rising by consuming the regenerated energy by the ON/OFF operation of the braking switch.